Store-counter



NiuruTino sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

EVAN O. THOMAS, OF SOUTHWARK DISTRICT, PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

STORE-COUNTER.

i Specification of Letters Patent No. 7,500, dated July 9, 1850.

To all whom/1f may concern:

Be it known that I, EVAN O. THOMAS, of the District of Southwark, in the county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved method of constructing counters for stores to secureand remove goods and mechandise in case of fire, which I call the Elevating car counter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description.

The nature of my invention consists in making counters in sections of suitable lengths for removing when filled with goods. Each section to be provided with a loose top ends and side so that it has the appearance of being double when the top is not elevated. Inside of the above top and casing will be constructed a chest fitted loose enough for the casing and top to be elevated with ease when forced by the action of the axle and crank. The chest to be placed on two axletrees and four wheels of suitable dimensions for removing the counter with ease without occupying too much room. The chest will be constructed with a double bottom in the center of which will be placed an axle with tooth wheel to fit between the bottoms allowing room for catch.

The ends of four cords straps of leather gutta percha or chains of metal will be permanently fixed to the axle and running under the upper bottom on friction rollers and ascending near the top of the ends of chest where they pass over friction rollers and descend between the chest and casing where it will be fastened to the casing near the bottom.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

\ To be more easily understood I call the part to be elevated, The elevating top and casing. The other part fitted in the casing I call the Chest. I make the casing eight feet long by thirty three or thirty six inches wide when the counters are intended for dry goods or hardware, but four feet wide when designed for tailors. They should be three feet high and strengthened at each corner with iron straps fastened in a suitable manner. I construct the chest to fit easy'in the casing. I place apiece of timber threeor four inches wide on the open side at each end of chest and casing to which the doors are fastened. The chest I make of proper depth to allow the casing to rest on the floor when not elevated. The chest I make without a top. The upper bottom, Z, I place ve inches from the lower bottom. In the center of which I place the elevating axle Fig. 4 which consists of a roller three inches in diameter with a shaft or bar of iron running through, on one end of which c'. c. the open side of the counter, I place the tooth wheel, c, four inches in diameter.' The end of the shaft, 11 Fig. 4 will be left square to which the crank will be fitted in a manner that it can be taken off when not wanted to operate. The catch, f, will be placed to hold on the tooth wheel that the casing and top may be kept in it-s proper place when elevated I place four cords or belts of gutta percha or chains of iron in a permanent manner to the axle adjusting them in such manner that each end will raise alike. The belts cords or chains are then passed over friction roller, b b, ascending in the chestthen passing over friction rollers, a. a, and descending between the chest and casing and then fastened to the casing.

The axletrees I make of wood or iron and fasten them by Aa bolt through the middle as represented by Fig. 5. The semicircular space, a n, in the lower bottom is allowed for curving or turning the fore wheels. I make the wheels twelve inches in diameter (as shown by c 0,) of wood or metal or part of each.

In relation to using I will state that when endangered by fire I would put the crank on the end of the elevating axle and lift the top and then put in the goods, and place a lock on them, being provided with a strong plank so adjusted that it could be made fast to the door sill even with the floor and extending over curb stone and gutter into the street. On each edge of the plank there should be pieces of wood two inches thick nailed on to prevent the counters from slipping off the sides. Druggists may use my counters by fixing drawers in the chest and placing a board about midway from the bottom of each drawer perforated with holes of proper size to receive the bottles or jars intended for them. These partitions will be necessary to prevent collision by removing. The drawers would answer every purpose for holding jars and bottles. Other kind of doors may be applied. They may be made to be folded and slided in under the top. W'hen a store will require more than eight or ten feet of counter any Within and at the same time to give better required quantity may be placed end by end security in ease of burglary and aid trans- 10 until the store is surrounded. portatio-n in ease of res as herein set forth.

What I claim as my invention and desire 5 to secure by Letters Patent is- EVAN O' THOMAS' I claim the construction of :L store counter Witnesses: made in two parts in the manner described E. CROWELL,

for the purpose of Varying the capacity WILLIAM DELANY. 

